51 Cabbies Lost Licenses for Drug Use in 2013: Report

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More than 50 cabbies lost their taxi licenses in 2013 after failing cocaine and marijuana tests, more than twice as many who lost their jobs the year before, according to a news report.

The New York Post reports that 51 drivers had their licenses revoked after failing drug tests last year. That number is significantly higher than the 20 who failed tests in 2012 and 34 in 2011.

So far this year, the Taxi and Limousine Commission has revoked 16 licenses from cabbies for similar reasons, the Post reports. Since 2010, 167 drivers have lost their taxi licenses for cocaine and marijuana use.

The TLC’s spokesman told the Post that the number of people who have had their licenses for drug use makes up a small portion of the city’s 108,000 drivers.

“While the number of positive drug tests is statistically incredibly small, we take our responsibility to public safety seriously to the extent that we would continue to be as vigilant even if a single applicant were to test positive,” he said.